At Home with Saint Patrick

But if you want the real deal, you won’t find festivities anywhere in the world to compare to Ireland, where Saint Patrick’s Day is celebrated in virtually every town and village. From the spectacular week of events in Dublin to the atmospheric festival in Downpatrick, in the heart of the country he made his own, the Saint Patrick’s Day experience in Ireland is quite simply unforgettable.

But who was Saint Patrick? Where did he come from and what did he do? Did he really banish snakes from Ireland and where can visitors find the best celebrations? Read on.

The Story of Saint Patrick

The first surprise is that Saint Patrick himself wasn’t Irish. In fact he could best be described as a Roman Briton, born towards the end of the 4^th century in the last years of the Roman occupation. We can’t be sure where he came from with Wales, Scotland and the southwest of England all laying claims to his origins. There have been various suggestions from biographers of his given name, but the most common is Succat, though he would later refer to himself as Patricius, the Latin for Patrick.

Slavery in Ireland

What would have been a comfortable childhood ended when Patrick was 15 years old, following his capture by Irish slave traders. Most biographers believe he was taken to Slemish Mountain in County Antrim, where he worked as a shepherd for a man called Milchu. After six years, Patrick dreamed of a message from an angel called Victoricus, which urged him to escape. Patrick then travelled nearly 200 miles, probably to Waterford, where he completed his escape back to England, with Irish sailors.

Saint Patrick's Crusade

By the time he returned to Ireland, believed to be in 432 AD, Patrick was a bishop, encouraged by another vision of Victoricus, carrying a letter titled, ‘the voice of the Irish’. On the orders of the Pope, Patrick now began his crusade to convert the Irish to Christianity. It was a dangerous task and Patrick himself claimed he daily expected to be killed or betrayed. Though we cannot be sure how much of Ireland he and his disciples covered (though in his confession he claims to have baptised many thousands), by the end of the century previously pagan Ireland had become a Christian country.

The Legend Grows

Patrick is believed to have died on March 17^th, probably around 461 AD. In the years that followed a cult developed around him as his fame spread. The 9^th century Book of Armagh (now held in Trinity College, Dublin) placed that city at the centre of the growing cult of Patrick and he was elevated to the status of national apostle, interceding in heaven on behalf of the Irish. The Book of Armagh directed all monasteries and churches in Ireland to honour his memory on March 17^th, in what was then a largely spiritual ceremony. By 1607, the day was marked on the Irish legal calendar. Now, it was officially Saint Patrick’s Day though it would not become a public holiday in Ireland until 1903.

The Growth of Saint Patrick's Day

In 1713, the author of ‘Gulliver’s Travels’, Jonathan Swift, recorded that the parliament at Westminster was closed because it was Saint Patrick’s Day and that the Mall in London was so full of decorations that he thought “all the world was Irish”. However, the first parade was probably held in New York in 1762 (though Boston make a competing claim for 1737), which, much later, would become famous for the scale of its celebrations. As the pace of Irish immigration to the US grew rapidly in the 19^th century, Saint Patrick’s Day became a mass celebration there.

Today, the mantle of the world’s most colourful parade has been taken by Dublin, where festivities last a whole week, though there are magical celebrations throughout Ireland.

St Patrick’s Sites

There are several key sites associated with Ireland’s Patron Saint, most of which are in Counties Down and Armagh.

Saul. Patrick landed here, near where the Slaney River flows into the beautiful Strangford Lough (now one of the most important maritime sites in the world) in County Down and converted the local chieftain, Dichu, in a barn (Saul comes from the Irish word “sabhal” meaning barn). On this site, where Patrick preached his first sermon in Ireland, stands a stone replica of an early church with a round tower. It was from the original that Patrick’s funeral procession is said to have left.

Raholp. Near this village, which boasts a giant statue of Saint Patrick, lie the ruins of an ancient church associated with Saint Tassach, believed to have given the last rites to Patrick before he was taken to nearby Saul.

The Struell Wells. In these atmospheric ancient wells outside the town of Downpatrick, Patrick is said to have bathed naked and sang psalms as he did so! They have been a place of pilgrimage since the Middle Ages.

Downpatrick. This historic hillside town (‘the fort of Patrick’) is said to be the burial place of Saint Patrick, as a granite slab in the graveyard of Down Cathedral testifies. Though this claim should be taken with a pinch of salt, this area was central to Saint Patrick’s crusade. Today it is renowned for its Saint Patrick’s Day Festival and the amazing state-of-the-art Saint Patrick’s Centre visitor attraction. Around the corner from Saint Patrick’s grave, it tells his story and that of his legacy in a series of interactive exhibits.

SlemishMountain. Near Ballymena in County Antrim, visitors make the annual pilgrimage on March 17^th to its summit for the wonderful views and to see where Patrick once tended sheep and pigs.

St Patrick’s Purgatory, Lough Derg. One of Europe’s most famous pilgrimage destinations is said by some to stand on the site of a monastery founded by Patrick. There is a legend that he slew the last serpent in Ireland here. Many still travel for a three-day retreat here.

Armagh. The ancient city of the two cathedrals was founded by Patrick around 445 AD and it soon became the ecclesiastical centre of Ireland. Today the Church of Ireland Saint Patrick’s Cathedral stands on the site of Patrick’s original church. You can discover Saint Patrick’s story at Saint Patrick’s Trian, whose exhibition features the ancient Book of Armagh, which contains Patrick’s own confessions.

Croagh Patrick. As its name suggests, this mountain in County Mayo is believed to have strong associations with Saint Patrick, who is said to have spent 40 days and nights here communing with God. It is now a place of pilgrimage on the last Sunday of July, when those who reach the summit are rewarded with the most breathtaking scenery on earth. It is from here, legend has it, that Saint Patrick rang his bell to rid Ireland of snakes.

Myths and Reality

Saint Patrick banished the snakes from Ireland? An unlikely tale, not least as there were no snakes when he arrived! It is possible this grew from the idea that he had banished Satan, perceived as a serpent by Christians of the time.

Saint Patrick and the Shamrock. There does seem to be some substance to this story as Patrick found the three-leafed shamrock a convenient tool for explaining the concept of the Holy Trinity.

Where to Celebrate

Today, Saint Patrick’s Day is celebrated in virtually every town and village in Ireland. Here are just a few highlights. For a comprehensive selection please download the Saint Patrick’s Day brochure 2009 or visit www.discoverireland.com/stpatricksday

Dublin National Saint Patrick’s Festival March 12^th to 17^th. Ireland’s largest traditional music and dance event, fireworks, massive children’s playgrounds, treasure hunts and the spectacular parade itself, are just some of the highlights of Ireland’s biggest celebration.

Cork City Saint Patrick’s Festival. March 17^th.

The southern capital celebrates Saint Patrick’s Day with musical performances, street theatre troupes, a food market and pageantry and, of course, the parade itself.

Galway City Saint Patrick’s Day Parade. March 17^th.

Pipe bands, dance groups and performance artists come from all over the world to Galway each year to experience a parade that is among the best in Ireland.

Downpatrick Saint Patrick’s Day Festival. March.

In the town in which he is buried and which hosts the Saint Patrick’s Centre visitor attraction, there’s a week of funfairs, face-painting, storytelling, street entertainment, all kinds of arts and crafts and the spectacular parade itself. There will also be tours of nearby sites associated with Saint Patrick, such as Saul and Raholp. Don’t forget the week of festivities in the town Saint Patrick founded, Armagh, either.